The first-year Arkansas coach will make $2.95 million annually, with on-field and academic incentives totaling up to an additional $700,000 each year. Bielema’s contract runs through Dec. 31, 2018.

According to a USA Today database updated July 1, 2013, Bielema would be the 12th-highest paid head coach in college football, according to terms of his contract, and fourth-highest paid coach in the Southeastern Conference.

Notice that “fourth-highest paid” mark? One of those other three ain’t Mark Richt.

Richt will make a guaranteed $2,811,340 a year under his new deal, which is just about what he was making previously. His deal runs through the 2016 season as previously announced.

So Arkansas’ new head coach is making more than the most senior head coach in college football’s toughest conference. And making it for a longer period.

Now, you can congratulate Greg McGarity for his shrewd fiscal management (and no doubt both he and his superiors are pleased) and you can assume that Richt is indeed content enough with his current gig to leave money on the table… but what if things change, as indeed they will some day? What if Richt entertains a serious, higher-dollar offer from another school? And for those of you who would cheer such a possibility, what makes you think that a school that pays its head coach less than Arkansas pays its man is going to be willing to step up financially and pay your dream choice the kind of bucks it will take to lure him to Athens?

Buck up. Maybe they can entice him with stories about the growth of the fabled reserve fund.

While I tend to agree that Richt likes Athens, and as you say, he’s knowingly leaving money on the table (be it for assistants, facilities improvements, an indoor practice facility, among other items), but it does worry me a bit. I think he and his family like Athens, and that he’s not chasing the dollars, but Texas is going to be looking for a coach this offseason. And with his age, and past success, Mark Richt has got to look very, very attractive to the Longhorns. Say they call his agent up, and say they’re willing to give him a 10 yr contract, $5m per + incentives for winning conference and national titles. If that happens, then what? Does UGA match the offer? Does Richt leave if they don’t? I’d honestly rather not find out, and my heart says he’d still turn them down even if UGA didn’t want to come close to that level of commitment. But he’d have to be one of the names Texas likes most, and with their ability and willingness to pay combined with Georgia’s lack of willingness to pay in spite of the ability, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I thought it was possible.

Same here Senator, and therein lies the fear. I don’t see Texas having any problem paying that kind of money to a coach. Richt is still young enough (53), that if he wanted to he could spend another decade, if not two (if he lasted as long as Bowden, he’d have over 25 years left in him) on the sidelines. I also think Texas is arrogant enough to have anyone on their list they like, be it Saban or Meyer or even some NFL head coaches, so I can’t see their administration thinking Richt would be unobtainable to them. Age, style, success, he’d have to be near the top of the Longhorn list wouldn’t he (unless he/his agent made it clear he wouldn’t consider any other jobs but the one he’s got)? And if they come in willing to use the full force of their checkbook, someone willing to nearly double your salary is very hard to turn down, even for those not motivated by money. And if B-M wouldn’t match an offer, that puts him in a very awkward and unenviable position to make a decision.

It’s not just the checkbook Sanchez. Texas is one of those programs that backs its football program 100%. Georgia doesn’t. Bama is the only program really like that in the SEC, IMHO (some might say USCe under SOS). Being given the keys to a program with no internally-created limitations–that’s attractive to someone like CMR.

So, is there anything at all a fanbase can do in a situation like this? Can some big boasters point to the revenue we take in then the (relative) lack of spending compared to Alabama and say “we need to be doing this” and get results?
Or is this like being a fan of a pro team with a stingy owner?

Alums can lobby to get a football friendly Prez, and maybe we have now. Too soon to tell. But this “some things are more important than winning” is in our DNA it seems. Just read this blog–you’ll see it here all the time. But when the team doesn’t win–look out!

CMR is not in the UT profile. Perceived to be too similar to Mack. Think Bill Cowher type personality. They want someone to shake things up around here. They need it. (Remember, Boom had the job but couldn’t wait once “Mama” called him home.)

Because times change. The last time UGA went coach hunting was 2000, no? They know what everyone else makes, and more importantly, so do the fans. Perhaps I’m being naive to how cheap McGarity is, but I expect the next coach to make at least what Richt makes, and if he’s a proven head coach, more.

I’ll never understand the statement people make something that includes statements like “‘with all the resources UGA has” blah, blah. We are a middle of the pack team as far as expenditures. Heck Arkansas BEFORE this new hire was spending more money on Football than us. We’ll spend a little more if we go with someone other than Bobo sure but we will still be middle of the pack, I don’t see that changing.

Georgia is middle of the pack in expenditures because they want to be, not because they have to be. If we quit focus on being a highly profitable non-profit entity for some reason, that means we spend some of these revenues we’re sitting on. Those are the resources Georgia has. To compare with Arkansas, Georgia has a significantly better instate recruiting to pull from. Which means better talent, and you also have to spend less to get that talent since they aren’t traveling as far to get to you and you don’t travel as far to get to them. Our facilities are good, not great as extravagance like Oregon and Tennessee’s stuff keep getting built, but we’re not far behind them in facilities, and as said, if we’re willing to spend more of the revenues coming in, we can build our own palace like those guys have. Fan support is strong, facilities strong, recruiting base as good as it gets, and we’ve got plenty of money to improve anywhere we want to improve. Expenditures schmenditures, Georgia is by no means middle of the pack in terms of resources.

Which makes some of the lack of spending all the more maddening. It’s not like the AA has stockholders waiting on dividend checks.

That said, I think it might be a mistake to assume because they’re generally cheap, they’d be cheap to the point of really hurting the program. McGarrity paid Grantham Kirby Smart money (and a multi-year deal). The problem, and it may not be a big one, is I don’t seem them as willing to hire top notch “extra” staff like Kevin Steele at Bama, or break records on an assistant like UT with Kiffin in ’09, or Chad Morris’s deal at Auburn with a Lake.

“Georgia is middle of the pack in expenditures because they want to be, not because they have to be” Well, that’s kind of my point, If we don’t spend it we don’t have it. Take Arkansas again, They take in less but spend more. Heck even if we just spent the same percentage we would be ahead of the game. The commitment isn’t there. That’s my point. What gives you any reason to believe that your second sentence would ever come true? I’m not talking about wishful thinking I mean hard evidence, it’s to the contrary. Before I go any further let me say I think UGA is a great ‘destination’ program with great resources including recruiting, the fan base you mention, etc. I highly disagree that’s it’s as good as a lot of folks seem to think it is as far as resources and in state talent is a resource . You’re looking at recruiting thru your red and black glasses. When I grew up in NW GA some 30 years ago most folks were UGA fans but even then you had a ton of BAMA, UT, AUBURN fans, etc. A lot of players loved UGA but would love to play for a living legend in the Bear. Kind of sounds like today with Saban. Twenty – twenty five years ago Georgia was a top 5 state for producing college players even then. Now it’s more like 4th I believe but with the population explosion you have a ton of people here now who didn’t grow up singing Glory Glory to old Georgia and worse they brought their allegiances to whatever team with them. Again I think GA has a great situation with it’s in state recruiting base and it IS an advantage. I just don’t think it’s quite the advantage some seem to believe it is.

Not sure what the hell this means, but I agree with the first part. Richt isn’t tied to his salary like some coaches. That won’t be the case after he retires, though. The next coach will need at least $3 as that’s what the market will demand.

Neither does Jen who is glad all over that her husband, Brunt, was not hired by Georgia but if he were (such as if and when Mark stops being righteous about taking lowball pay) she would only have to change a gang sign, not a wardrobe

Whenever Richt moves on, Georgia will have the pick of the litter of assistant coaches and will have most head coaches getting their agents on the phone. Saban and Meyer won’t, but soooo many coaches will.

I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing. The scenario in the post was Richt leaving because another school backed up the truck to get him. That means we’re not willing to match an offer to keep one of the top coaches in the country. If that happened why would we pay to pay enough to steal away a TOP coach from somewhere else? We’d be talking about an unproven assistant.

Yep, it’s a different program than the Glen Mason era. Maybe coach feels like he is being treated fairly and doesn’t have the desire or ego to demand that he be in the top 3 in compensation in the SEC. Once you reach a certain threshold, most of the compensation decisions are made because of ego. WTF did Bob Nardelli need a $65MM severance package from the Home Depot for? For one reason only, he’s an egotistical prick. My guess is that CMR is not the guy that’s going to march into McGarity’s office and demand to be the 2nd or 3rd highest paid coach in the SEC come heck or high water.

“Richt is still young enough (53), [good enough, smart enough and doggone it, people like him] that if he wanted to he could spend another decade, if not two (if he lasted as long as Bowden, he’d have over 25 years left in him) on the sidelines.” (h/t Mr. Sanchez, some window up above)

I have a feeling CMR will out-Bowden Bowden and it will all happen at Georgia which if Mr. Sanchez is right would put CMR somewhere in the neighborhood of Year 1 of the Eighth Five-Year Plan when he hangs it up. That has all the potential of being a bummer for Bobo who would then be almost as old as Norm Chow is now

He also spent a long time in Boca, and played at Miami. How much did that help when Miami was looking? Nebraska ain’t a concern, even if it’s a great program at a rougher than desired time right now. Texas definitely should be though with all they have financially, in recruiting base, facilities, etc.

That, and you people talking about Bobo as Head Coach are giving me nightmares. He’s grown on me a bit as an OC, but there’s just so, so much about the idea of him as HC in Athens that I really, really don’t want that to ever happen.

If Richt has an exceptional year this year, ie winning an SEC championship, he will get a raise. If he doesn’t, he probably won’t.
I’d be surprised if he left UGA for another job not just because I don’t think it’s in his nature but also because I don’t think he’s that hot a commodity, at least not at the handful of school that could afford to make a game changing salary offer. Who exactly do we fear is going to ride in and offer him 4M a year right now? It’s not impossible, but as I said, I’d be surprised.

Not a lot. I was responding to your point that Richt might get stolen away from UGA. I just don’t see it. What school would pay him 4M right now? There are only 4 schools in the country currently paying their coach 4M a year: Bama, OU, Texas and Ohio State. Is Texas going to make a run at Mark Richt? I suppose it’s possible, but I’d be surprised.

Say you’re Texas, with the belief that you can get any, and I mean any, coach in the country. Who do you have higher on your list? Saban, maybe Meyer, and then who? Omitting NFL names like Shanahan or Belichek or Gruden or Tomlin, etc, who else would have a better resume for Texas to lust after than Richt?

If I’m Texas I want the guy who is going to have the best resume over the next 10 years, not the last 10. That’s pretty much why they’re getting rid of Mack. Phil Fulmer has a hell of a resume and it’s not doing him any good. I think they’ll go hard after a coach like David Shaw, or maybe even Kevin Sumlin.
Plenty of jobs comparable to Texas have opened up over the last few years, and Richt has never been a hot name for any of them. It seems like this burgeoning meme of “Texas wants Richt” is based on the similarities between Richt and Brown, but I’m not so sure that’s really in Richt’s favor in the eyes of Texas fans.
Put it this way, if the dominoes fell in such a way that Richt did leave for some job, and Mack Brown was available, would you want him at UGA?

Senator, I think you are way way off base here. I don’t think what Arkansas pays Bielma is of any significant relevance to UGA, McGarity, Richt, nor most UGA fans/observers. There are a few ways to think about Richt’s compensation. You have clearly chosen to discuss it on a relative basis. Given the transparency into college football coaching contracts, we know what the market pays for a head coach. Similarly, baseball players when they reach free agency know what other players at their position and value make. As a rule of thumb, each win over a replacement player or WAR as it is abbreviated is worth about $6M in the free agent market. Hold that thought for a moment as I love to the next way to think about his compensation.

Another way to think about his compensation is what incentives does it create for him? All things being equal, getting paid $3.2M is a lot of money for no promise of results, with a long term contract with a huge buyout, without even a HINT of a non-compete clause in the contract. Not many industries operate that way. Were I an AD, I would have a HUGELY incentive laden contract for both the head coach and entire coaching staff. While many of the revenues that support the AD are a recurring and growing, I have to believe there is a difference between them when you win the SEC and MNC and you don’t. Donations flow, licensing revenue increase, and other ancillary revenue streams become more valuable. Let the coaching staff share in that success.

We know pretty clearly what Richt’s WAR is. He is in fact on a percentage basis by far the winningest coach in the history of our program, and he is arguably doing it in the most difficult era in the conference. Dooley had engineered a permanent SEC schedule that included vandy, ole miss, and kentucky, and somehow missed bama, lsu and UT annually. now he also played SC and clemson, which were quasi SEC games. that said, i tend to think Richt is coaching in a more difficult era and doing a better job at it. that said, vince dooley was probably not a replacement level I.e., average) coach…donnan was. so I think one can make the case for some type of compensation based upon the 2-3 wins richt has averaged above Donnan (or base it on percentage to account for more games – one of which is the SEC title that Donnan never came with sniffing distance of).

But here is the thing, there are two ways to get WAR, you can pay for it (which is a loser’s game) or you can grow it. As an aside, between Uggla, BJ, and Justin upton, the Braves are paying $45M for essentially a sum total of 3 WAR from all three players. On the other hand, Simmons is worth 6 WAR and he is making nothing. Just because the market pays $6M/WAR does not mean you have to pay that. Similarly, the college coaching market is skewed. Purdue is paying Darrell Hazell $2.5M per year off his kent state success. think about that. let it sink in. If there was ever a case to NEVER pay up for a coach, that was it. the point being there are a LOT of guys who are smart and capable who come without a huge price tag. Chip kelly was coaching in NH before he became Oregon’s OC. Gary Patterson was Francione’s DC before he was elevated at TCU. heck, think about what texas is paying stacy searels and what we are paying his replacement will friend.

great organizations don’t base their compensation off the market. they pay someone what they think they are worth.

there are plenty of coaches at different tiers of football that would kill for a UGA job. Perhaps you have heard of an industry called the hedge fund industry. Participants regularly work for modest base salaries to share in the investment profits they generate. While there is a heard mentality to asset allocators chasing performance and buying name brand funds, the most astute one are looking to capture alpha by allocating to managers before their management fees afford a private jet lifestyle. The same principle applies here. Hire guys who you think are exceptionally talented would kill for the opportunity to be a part of the UGA football program. there are countless number of stories like this in coaching as well. go read David Halberstam’s book on Belichick to see what he was willing to do to have a crack at being an NFL coach.

the thought that the only way to get a front line coach is to pay up for him is laughable.

who is an “a list” coach? ultimately, unless you are hiring a proven winner in the heart of his prime, there are no A list coaches. Jimmy Johnson was not an A list coach when Miami hired him from Oklahoma State. Jimmy Johnson was A list when Dallas hired him. Not so much the second time around with the Dolphins. Saban was not an A list coach when LSU hired him the first time. spurrier was not an a list hire. There are very very few instances of A list coaches being “available”.

lets look at the last 20 years in college football. Saban is the only coach who was an A list hire at the time of his hire.

so what about the other “high profile” proven guys?
Who else? Rich Rod at Michigan. How did that work out for them? How many times did someone pay up for Rick Neuhesial? How did Gary Barnett work out for Colorado?

Urban Meyer was a high profile hire and perhaps UF had to “pay up” to outbid Notre Dame at the time, but recall what he said made the difference in his decision. He solicited Herbstreit’s advice, who told him the UF and ND jobs were not close to equal and that he should take the UF job. Again, who is going to stay at Utah when UF comes with an offer.

Oh by the way, you think Bob Bolsby had to offer Jim Harbaugh a lot of money to the tiny catholic powerhouse University of San Diego (not San Diego State mind you!) to come to stanford. Obviously for every Harbaugh, there are 10 instances of Derek Dooley (maybe more).

Its not about the MONEY. It is NEVER ABOUT the money. It’s always about good process. the sports world is littered with sob stories of teams built on free agents to buy titles. it rarely works. the exact same principle applies here.

As an aside, between Uggla, BJ, and Justin upton, the Braves are paying $45M for essentially a sum total of 3 WAR from all three players. On the other hand, Simmons is worth 6 WAR and he is making nothing.

This analogy is worthless. Simmons is making nothing because he’s not eligible for free agency.

Senator, are you that small minded that you don’t get the distinction between growing talent and outbidding others for “proven” talent in hopes that it continues to produce.

As an AD, you can pay up for someone else’s head coach OR you can “grow your own” by hiring an assistant coach from the existing staff or another program. In all but a limited number of cases, will you have to “pay up” for the person.

I don’t know about small-mindedness, but I don’t think a program as established as Georgia’s is should be looking at hiring another school’s assistant coach. The kind of talent McGarity will be evaluating will either be established and expensive or more of a gamble and less pricey. I suspect Bobo’s gonna look mighty attractive when the day is done.

thats the thing…virtually every coach is a gamble. Its just that history proves that some are expensive gambles and others are not. Again, its about capturing a guy during the ascendant portion of his career. In some senses, I actually think we are doing that with Richt 2.0. Long term, UGA football may be better off for the mistakes that Richt made leading the program from 2006-2010. Certainly, one could argue the price was expensive in terms of disappointing on field results, but if we have successfully changed the culture of the program, that will serve us well to compete for national titles for years to come. 2012 and 2013 are NOT the only windows for this program.

You plant a seed and yet you can’t even get a link….Will this Dawgbone black balling ever end? Eh Tu Senator?http://www.sportsandgrits.com/2013/09/mark-richt-is-texas-top-target-to.html
Texas is coming and they are bringing JR Ewing Cadillacs full of money with them. I can’t wait to see the Richt-O-Philes faces when the beloved takes the money and runs.
As for all the other points….forces outside of your own control can sometimes dictate how your business model proceeds in the market place. We will have to pay more and that is just the way it is. Richt has the contract he has because he has earned it…just like it is.
Who would I want to see us pay $4 mill plus a year? Again with the no link love for you.http://www.sportsandgrits.com/2013/09/mark-richt-will-replace-mack-brown-at.html

CC, my man, I wasn’t blackballing you. I read your posts and thought you were gracious at the end to Richt. But I think you’re going to be sadly, sadly disappointed if he leaves by whom B-M gets to replace him. That’s why I didn’t link your stuff.

BTW, I like Strong as much as you do, but there’s no way his academic/behavioral standards fly at UGA. He won’t be coming.

The most honorable, just, and upright Senator,
I appreciate your anti-blackballing position. A couple of years ago I came up with a descriptive term for the nervous nellies who fear a coaching search. Allow me to make a few points…if I may:
1. This ain’t 2001 anymore. There is Head Coach Inflation at play. The pay scale has changed and I am sure that G Mac knows the Dawgs will have to belly up to keep up.
2. A promotion of Mike Bobo to HC would cause Syrian level riots in the streets from Savannah to Augusta and on up to North Georgie.
3. A guy like Hudspeth, or Taggert from small schools or a coordinator like Chad Morris will be impossible to pawn off on the fan base. The Richt-O-Philes will be in full on Jihad over Texas taking Richt and they will demand an eye for an eye and a HC for a HC.
4. A certain douchebag University President who cared more about some non-sense called “a-ca-dem-ics” than the real reason colleges exist, Football, is gone now. Let me remind you that there was a meeting after the Boise St. and Sakerlina back to back losses in which the direction of the program was questioned by certain top brass.

However, not to discredit your point all together…..even I, The Overlord of all that which is evil in Dawgnation, the HNIC (head nay sayer in charge), the coldest of Cold Blooded Sausage Makers….have a small hint of fear….in the back of my mind…..dwelling within the deepest darkest recess of what used to be my soul….a fear know as– UGA HC Kirby Smart!

Smart doesn’t make sense to me for two reasons: one, he’s burned bridges at B-M with his now you see me/now you don’t act on the DC job offer, and, two, if you’re gonna hire Smart, isn’t it just easier (and cheaper) to hire Bobo?

I don’t think a Bobo hire is going to offend nearly as many people as you think/hope, either.

“I don’t think a Bobo hire is going to offend nearly as many people as you think/hope, either.”
Hmmmmm….then it would appear that my evil work here is far from done…..and we are far from ascending to elite status as a program. You know sometimes I blame myself….it’s true. I sit looking around at the cave walls of Hell and say…”Am I just not evil enough? Is that why the Disney Dawgs never seem to truly lose ground?” Of course then I remember that I hate self loathing and I start concentrating of hating things again…..then I feel better.

Mark Richt ain’t leaving Georgia. Large family support system surrounds him here. If you can’t wrap that up… you just can’t. That 40 grand an acre dirt in Oconee County may get ya 8000 now. Doesn’t matter what everyone else bid it up to. The ESPN money largesse will dry up the same way but UGa will not suffer like uT will. Hell uT is on life support now. Neither will Apple in spite of Samsung. LSU is up next. Linebacker play will be key. But, as usual, it’s been a fun read. Go Dawgs!

I don’t see Texas going after Richt. I see only one coach that excites their boosters and fans enough to kick their donations up past aTm’s and that is Nick Saban. 5mil will be where negotiations start for Saban.

It’s getting late in the evening so I figured that I’d pose a possible scenario that is likely to occur at or by the end of this season … What happens if/when both the Texas & USC top jobs open up at approximately the same time frame? Two current/former (take your pick) top programs with wads of cash to throw at their new saviors? If so, I expect the domino effect will be quite interesting.

1) Too many Dawg fans have misplaced faith that those in charge on campus rank success in athletics as solely a function of wins.
2)Too many Dawg fans have an over inflated sense of who would come to Georgia for a number less than all but about 5 programs.
3) Jimmy Sexton will reset what that number is come December 2013 or so.

Quote Of The Day

“But outside of that, the biggest advantage you can have is have good leadership, have a veteran football team, and when you’ve got that, it doesn’t matter whether you have spring practice or not. When you don’t have that, it’s tougher, when you don’t have leadership and you don’t have the experience at certain positions.”— Kirby Smart, Dawgs247, 3/31/20